Retirement is not an option for Donald Triggs, a key player in the blossoming of Canada’s modern wine industry and co-owner of soon-to-be launched Culmina Family Estate Winery.
A native of rural Manitoba, representing the sixth generation on the family farm, Don left the nest to complete a degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba and an MBA at Western. He started his career in Ontario doing sales and marketing with Colgate Palmolive. In 1972 he moved to John Labatt’s wine division where his experience ranged from fixing troubled sectors of winery operations to running large wine producers in Canada and abroad.
In the hope of staying in Canada with his family, Don joined Fisions PLC based in Vancouver, taking their troubled North American horticultural division from money loser to industry leader. With the 1989 North American Free Trade Agreement around the corner, Don risked everything. He joined forces with Alan Jackson and former Labatt colleagues who pooled their life savings to buy the brewer’s wine division.
Renamed Vincor International with Don as CEO, it grew to become the biggest wine enterprise in Canada and seventh largest in the world. When Constellation Brands US acquired Vincor in 2006, Don resigned and set out to build Culmina with wife Elaine as partner and daughter Sara as sales and marketing manager.
Don has lured Bordeaux-trained Pascal Madevon (formerly winemaker at Osoyoos Larose) to the promising scenario at Culmina.
Read more of the original stories celebrated in our 30th-anniversary issue.
Lost and found: The Quest for Seniors’ Mental Health
The silent elephant in the room for many seniors and their families: Misunderstanding and stigma too often prevent people from acknowledging mental health problems and accessing available resources.
Jim Hamilton: Exceeding expectations, embracing change
[downloads category="current-issue" columns="1" excerpt="no"] Despite a history of giving up comfortable careers in favour of new adventures, just signed on for a second term as president of Okanagan College. Time for him to quit moving forward? Not a...
Shelter Me: Leaving an abusive partner
When women make the hard choice to leave their abusive partners, they need a safe place to escape. In the Okanagan, heroes like the Kelowna Women’s Shelter volunteers work to provide them with stable new beginnings.
Sauvignon Blanc: white magic
Freshly, lively, food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc is among the most instantly recognizable varietals. This cool climate grape reaches its apex of aromatic intensity and zesty crispness in France’s Loire Valley and in New Zealand.
Twylla Genest
Volunteers make our communities liveable. Coordinating the network of Vernon’s non-profits, special events administrators and willing workers is one dedicated organizer, Twylla Genest.
100 Mile Diet is no piece of cake
A simple, grassroots idea is rippling around the world. As it spreads, it is meeting head-on such issues as food security, fossil fuel use, international trade pressures, insufficient government support and urban-rural land conflict.
